Really?

With the spur of recent activity on the Tazer after posting Inge Olivers' comments, we've seen some interesting discussion. For the most part, the Tazer will let it be just that, with our disagreements and discussion hopefully turning into solutions at some point. This response in particular though, needs to be addressed:

"No use B-Legit. Nobody listens to reason here. If you disagree you become the enemy. Where's J Edgar Hoover when you need him?"

The Tazer could probably pose the same question to you. You are not an enemy here if you disagree, you are simply someone who disagrees with another's opinion. As for reason, I suppose it's in the eye of the beholder...some folks will tell you the city of Richmond isn't all that bad...they may live in a very nice part of Richmond that sees very little crime, but their reasoning is different than yours. Would you listen to that reason with an open mind, help to educate them on the truth, or rush to pass judgement on them? I refuse to pass judgement on you for your comment. I prefer to offer discussion on it.

The J. Edgar Hoover comment is a low blow. Seeing that no comments here have been edited or deleted, you must believe that the Tazer has some kind of survallance system to watch you...not the case. This is a simple blog, created for the purpose of calling out our city officials who have lived high on the hog and profited from being wrong or just plain lazy for too long.

In doing that, The Tazer continues to offer any of those folks the opportunity to respond or be interviewed by The Tazer to tell us different...not one official has taken this standing offer. Same for commentary: lots of promises from folks on all sides to contribute, but nothing.

The Tazer doesn't claim to have all the answers, but we hope that enough people can come together here and be inspired to work towards a solution to the killing that hurts our city.

You're free to disagree and offer commentary if you would like, but please don't ignore many of the facts that are presented here daily. While we work for the solutions, those who got things this way must answer so that it doesn't happen again.

RTT

More Well Placed Anger...

Tazer friend Inge Oliver has expanded on her inital anger over the Iron Triangle shooting. Honestly, the Tazer would like to actually see some of her questions and concerns addressed by the proper parties and would be willing to interview them in a feature on The Tazer. Here's Inge, unedited:
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Still being in the state of shock, due to last night's homicide, I contacted several community leaders,discussing, what can be done immediately to stop this horrifying situation.

You want to keep your jobs, want to be re-elected, we, the community leaders/activists have someserious questions to you and want answers!

A) Why do you waste our tax-money for nothing but a 10-months survey, done by an Oakland Consultant?

TAZER NOTE: Damn Good Question!

B) Oakland's violent crime rate never was higher than in the last couple of years, indicating that Mr. Muhammad's Mentoring Center's success seems to be very poor, to say the least.

TAZER NOTE: OOPS! Is that ALL true?

C) Why are you so adamant to get Oakland's losers on the city's payroll? (Another example: Mr. Samuels)

TAZER NOTE: Is this the equivalent of being a "Hack" in major league baseball and trying to be a star in Japan?

D) Why do you, our elected officials refuse to do, what we, your constituency, are asking you to do, implementing programs for the local youth-at-risk, programs, that were introduced to you by the Richmond Improvement Association, a local organization?

Not only show these programs a tremendous success in other cities, RIA is way beyond the point of conducting surveys, they already have the necessary data, they know where and what needs to be done.

E) Why can Ms. Anderson's son, as well as her friend, Mr. McMillan "attack" outspoken community leaders, not once, but several times, and get away with it? I thought we are living in a Democracy, where elected officials an and should be held accountable for their mistakes!D) If any of you believe that you can use our money for your election campaign, (Consultant contract with the "Mentoring Center" = political pay-back) you are wrong, wasting our money for this survey will back-fire on you!

TAZER NOTE: At the risk of sounding overly PC, The Tazer would LOVE too see some info on the attacks of our community leaders, so that we can share with everyone.

Sincerely,

Inge Oliver

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More Angry Fallout...

Here's more angry fallout from yesterday's killing:

A so-called "Crime Summit" was held on Tuesday May 31 in El Sobrante featuringContra Costa Sheriff Warren Rupf, 'the people's lawyer' Richmond City Councilman Jim Rogers, Dist. 1 Supervisor John Gioia and Richmond Police Chief Magnus...

Listen to an audio of the proceedings which was a massive 'dog and pony' show at: www.saveelsobrante.com

Marilynne L. MellanderMember,El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council

TAZER NOTE: "Dog and Pony Show"? How fitting! HA!
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From: Inge Oliver
To:

Subject: I am outraged........
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2006 20:56:18 -0700

Just now ..... another homicide in the Iron Triangle.

How much more evidence do you, our politicians, need to understand that a ballooned
bureaucracy will not end this madness!?!?

And it certainly will not get either one of you re-elected!!

This is what I just e-mailed to all council members, incl. Irma Anderson and Bill Lindsay.
They need to know that they cannot ignore the publics wish to get programs for our
troubled youth now!

From a very sad
Inge Oliver

More Violence

Yet another senselesss killing (credit CBS5):

A 25-year-old man died after being shot Thursday, Lt. Rick Clark of the Richmond Police Department confirmed.

Officers responding to a call at 5:44 p.m. found Robert Lee Arnold Jr. in the back of a pickup truck in the 300 block of Nevin Avenue near Nevin Park.

Arnold was suffering from a gunshot wound, Clark said.

Arnold was rushed by ambulance to Kaiser Hospital, where he died, Clark said.

No arrests have been made.

Copyright © 2006 cbs5.com, All Rights Reserved.
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TAZER NOTE: At this point, the Tazer would venture to say that our city officials would tell us not to worry, as the Office of Violence prevention now has a coordinator to coordinate the coordinatin' for a coordinator. What a crock of S#@t!

"We're almost Out Of Red Letters For All The Red Letter Days"

I gotta say, our fair city is special...

People have responded in a number of ways in regard to Tuesday's city council meeting and Tazer Friend Inge Oliver has expressed things all of us can probably agree on with this piece (we apologize for the delay. Our Blog editor was down) :

The city's politicians got their way last night, despite the boycott, they voted for the $185,000
consultant contract to basically do a survey for the right way to setup the Office for the Violent Prevention Coordinator, which takes, based on Mr. Muhammad's (Director of the Mentoring Center/Oakland) approx. ten (10) months; and they succeeded with their proposed 8% annual increase of the sewer fee!

What a shame!

A) What do we need a survey for? It is already more than clear what and where the hot-spots are.

B) Do they really care about the residents, who voted them into their paid position, the grieving families, the ongoing killings in our streets? I say no, they don't! But they care enough for their allowances for cell-phones, travel expenses, domestic partners benefits etc., to spend almost half an hour discussing the issue.

C) The Mentoring Center's survey( under Mr. Muhammad) next year in April (2007!) will show in increase of violence during the summer-break of the schools, as happened in the past, but as of now, there are no preventing programs scheduled by the city.

The only positive thing happened so far, is Chief Magnus' reorganization of his department.

TAZER NOTE: While not violence prevention related, This sewer fee increase info has been allowed in this instance due to the fact that the council has OFFICIALLY said it's ok to take YOUR MONEY and you can't do a damn thing about it. Re-watch the meeting when you have a chance.

D) Regarding the sewer fee increase: I would like to know where the 1999 bond-money ($37million) went.

Based on Veola's list of accomplishments for 2005, $755,000 alone went for upgrading their own equipments, and the total of repairs is specified with $7millions.

Richmond residents, wake up and smell the coffee!!!!

To me it's very clear, the city's politicians are not serving the city's residents, we, the resident's
are serving the politicians with our hard earned tax-money, and this will go on and on......

Sincerely,
Inge Oliver
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TAZER NOTE: Thank you for this piece Inge. The Tazer wonders aloud:

Dear City Manager,

Have you finished negociating that contract with Mr. Muhammad and his group? I know it's only Friday after you and the council were smellin' yourselves cause you think you did something Tuesday, but PEOPLE ARE STILL DYING OUT THERE. So, how bout it huh? We're ok for the work on the coordinatin' of the office coordinator to coordinate the coordinatin' to start anytime.

Signed,

Many pissed off Richmond residents who are smart to your REALLY BAD HUSTLE and the 170 + dead bodies over the last 5 years

"The Meeting"

The Tazer held its breath for as long a possible tonight in anticipation of the City Council meeting...

Here's what we got:

David Muhammad and his group, The Mentoring Center have been approved, by council vote, to move forward in talks with the City Manager about a contract for Muhammad and his group to help set up the office of violence prevention with a contract for about $250k total.

Ok, The Tazer has heard about Mr. Muhammad and his work. By all accounts, he and his group would be a good fit for this position under normal circumstances.

Problem is, these are not normal circumstances, which means the jury is out as far as how The Tazer takes this news.

This isn't a verdict one way or the other on you Mr. Muhammad. The Tazer is simply saying that you will be rated (and written about) based on your performance or the lack thereof. Good luck to you and your group.

Tazer Friend Corky Booze had quite the redletter night tonight, as he was busy on a number of topics...

Most interesting though, was his commentary on the council's ok of the city manager to move forward with contract talks dealing with Mr. Muhammad and his group.

Mr. Booze stated that he felt the council had basically pitted Muhammad's group against Rev. Shumake's RIA group, which, in his opinion, will cause major problems if you have a perceived competition.

The Tazer finds this angle interesting and had not considered it prior. Does the $175k or so that the council promised to Shumake's group come into play here? Will Muhammad's group nix that deal? Can they?

What becomes of Shumake and RIA? Will their ideas be taken and used? Also, what becomes of the momentum that was created with the boycott, which was moving ALL community agencies geared towards Violence Prevention to come to the table together?

Many questions are still left after tonight's activities. In the coming days, The Tazer will do it's best to get answers for you.

As of the time of this positing, the City Council is still meeting, currently arguing procedures and permits.

In other news, lots of "slick moves" by various council members tonight to position themselves correctly...you sly dogs you! Climb over that pile of dead bodies to get re-elected! No one will notice...or so you think....

Contrary To What Some Might Believe...

The Tazer is not dead...

The Tazer is waiting for the results of tomorrow's City Council meeting, where a major announcement is expected pertaining to the Office Of Violence Prevention and other important items.

The Tazer will update as needed between now and then.